October 8, 2017

27th Sun., Ordinary Time

October 8, 2017:  Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

See 14 connections with today?
Legend at bottom
Listen

For 2nd reading
For Psalm 80
For future Sundays
Pope Francis Angelus
God continues to show mercy, his vineyard's "new wine"; the only impediment is our arrogance and presumption.  Today's gospel is a love story with both positive and negative moments.  To understand how the Father responds to those opposed to his love, it asks, "when will the master arrive and what will he do to those growers?"  The question stresses that God's disappointment for wickedness is not the last word.  The novelty of Christianity is a God who, though disappointed by our sins, is merciful.  Where no fruit is produced, God's word warns, "The kingdom will be taken from you and given to people who will bear fruit."  The Lord invites us to enter this love story, becoming a lively and open vine, rich in fruit and hope for everyone.
Read
  • Is 5:1-7  My friend spaded and cleared his vineyard and planted choice vines, but it yielded wild grapes.  "What more was I to do for my vineyard?  Why did it yield wild grapes?  I'll give it to grazing and let it be trampled!"  The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel, and the people are his cherished plant....
    Wordle: Readings 10-5-14
  • Ps 80:9, 12-16, 19-20  "The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel."  A vine you transplanted.  Why have you broken down its walls?  O Lord, take care of this vine, and protect what you planted, the son of man whom you made strong.  Give us new life, and we'll call on your name.  Restore and save us.
  • Phil 4:6-9  Have no anxiety, but make your requests known to God; then God's peace will guard you in Christ.  Think on what's true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious, excellent, and praiseworthy.  Do what you've learned, received, heard, and seen in me, and God will be with you.
  • Mt 21:33-43  Jesus / chief priests and elders:  "A landowner planted, prepared, and leased a vineyard, then at vintage time sent servants for his produce, but the tenants beat and killed them.  He sent other servants, but they treated them the same.  Finally, he sent his son, thinking, 'They'll respect my son.'  But when the tenants saw him, they said, 'Let's kill him and acquire his inheritance’ and killed him.  What will the owner do?" / "Kill those wretched men and lease his vineyard to others who will give him the produce." / "Scripture says, the Lord made the stone the builders rejected the cornerstone.  The kingdom will be taken from you and given to those who will produce fruit."
Reflect
  • Creighton:  Each reading uses the vineyard image a different way:  The 1st is focused on the vineyard itself: the Lord's vineyard, the house of Israel, fails.  We, the people of God, the vineyard of the Lord, must ask, are we yielding an acceptable harvest and helping to bring about God’s reign?  The Psalm focuses on the vineyard’s owner, God, who the psalmist sees as having failed.  The psalmist is hurt, feeling abandoned by God.  We too can feel abandoned by God, as Jesus did on the cross.  The gospel focuses on the tenants, who fail.  The owner cared for the vineyard, which yielded a harvest that belonged to the owner, but the tenants grew greedy and killed the owner to inherit the vineyard.  The parable is about stewardship and hardness of heart.  We stewards of the gifts we've received must acknowledge God's claim on them, not hoard them for our own benefit.
  • One Bread, One Body:  "Born to be wild?"  God took care of his vineyard, the house of Israel. With perfect care, you'd expect fruitful grapes, but there were wild grapes.  So God told the people that if they want to change their nature to wild, he'd let them live in matching conditions; he tore down the walls and allowed invasion.  Perhaps they, and we, would learn from the effects of wild living and return to the Lord and produce fruit.  The hearers of the gospel parable understood, but they rejected God and chose wildness and separation.  God wants to bring us into his family so we'll bear good fruit.  May we not "run wild" and rebel.
    The wicked husbandmen/ Luyken
  • Passionist:  In today’s gospel Jesus refers to himself as Cornerstone, the vital first stone in the construction of a foundation; other stones are set in reference to it.  Jesus is the cornerstone for our lives and faith.  We are his living body, established in and upon him; he shows us how to live.  In the gospel Jesus outlines God’s care for us and the trust he puts in us. Viewing life through the lens of this parable enables us to see God as landowner who plants, protects, provides, and watches over the vineyard.  The ‘cornerstone’ is God’s goodness and generosity.  We're God's stewards, entrusted with the vineyard, the world.  We're entrusted with the care of our planet and of ourselves and our neighbors.  Harvest time was particularly fine for families:  pleasant weather, fewer duties, more relaxation.  May we live closer to earth, more relaxed and celebratory, and see the fruits of our labor.  How different from the selfish, violent, murderous stewards whose greed brings only failure.  Our life with God is under God’s grace, but we're invited to contribute, to enter into relationship with God and serve others; we're given the vineyard and asked to see it produces good fruit.
  • DailyScripture.net:  "The stone the builders rejected":  Jesus' parable tells of God's generosity and trust.  As the vineyard was well equipped and the owner left it in the tenants' hands, God gives us what we need and trusts us.  As the owner gives the tenants many chances but in the end renders judgment, God is both patient and just.  God entrusts me with gifts, grace, and particular work in his vineyard and promises it won't be in vain if I persevere (1 Cor 15:58).  Do I labor with hope and confidence?  "Thank you, Lord, for the benefits you've given us; for the pains and insults you've borne for us.  O merciful redeemer, friend, and brother, may we know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, for your sake." (paraphrase of prayer of St. Richard of Chichester, from which comes Day by Day)
Dress legend
  • 'Plant' pin:  The people of Judah are the Lord's cherished plant (1st reading)
  • 'Blood drop' pin:  He found bloodshed instead of judgment (1st reading)
  • Tie with grapes and other fruit, purple shirt: Song of the vineyard (1st reading); Israel, the Lord's vineyard (psalm); vineyard parable (gospel); "every passer-by plucks its fruit" (psalm)
  • 'Stone' tie pin:  Friend cleared vineyard of stones (1st reading); "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;..." (gospel)
  • 'Eyeball' pin: "...it is wonderful in our eyes" (gospel, quoting Ps 118 and Is 28)
    • 'Car' pin:  You 'drove' away the nations and planted the vine (psalm)
    • 'Hand' tie pin:  "Protect what your right hand has planted" (psalm)
    • 'Phone' tie bar:  "Give us life, and we'll call your name" (psalm)
    • 'Peace sign' tie bar:  When you make your request, God's peace will guard you (2nd reading)
    • 'Gun' pin:  The tenants killed the landowner's servants and son; owner will kill tenants (gospel)
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